July 4, 2008
How's a unibody replacement for the Dakota grab you? Or a BOF Jeep pickup? There's even a smaller pickup than than the Dakota being studied. Yep, there's even a Ram hybrid in the works too, as well as a 1/2-ton diesel. Those are just some of the plans Chrysler LLC has in store down the road.
Also expect to see an integrated trailer brake controller for the new Ram 1500 next spring. This will also go into the completely redesigned 2010 HD Rams.
If you're left scratching you head as to why the Dakota replacement is going unibody, consider that the Honda Ridgeline, with similar construction, is outselling the current Dakota so far this year.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: July 4, 2008, 10:14 AM -08:00
- Categories: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep
The South Korean-designed Chevy Beat may be coming Stateside. Originally intended for Asia and Latin America, the soaring fuel prices that have sparked the rapidly changing Americans' vehicle tastes have GM rethinking their plans.
"Everything is under review," said GM spokesman Dee Allen. While the automaker's executives continually review their lineup, this examination might lead to bigger changes, he said. "Obviously, the market has been changing rather rapidly."
The Beat is smaller than the current Chevy Aveo, and is roughly the size of a Smart.
Full story here.
If this post seems strangely familiar, well it is. I had posted on the Kia Forte a few days ago, but in making some revisions to the post, it went goofy on me--so goofy I couldn't get it to work. So in frustration I deleted it. Now that I've calmed down a bit, and I see
Inside Line also has a story on it, I decided to give it another try.
So once more here is the very handsome Kia Forte:
Kia Forte Pictures Emerge in Advance of Car's Official Debut
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- Posted by: July 4, 2008, 4:42 AM -08:00
- Categories:
Oh this is perfect!
Bobak Bakhtiari, who manages the Tanforan Shell station in San Bruno, Calif, has a nifty way for customers to express their anger at gas prices. He has set up a dunking booth in which a dunk-friendly station employee sits while customers express their frustration. If the customer can yell for 20 seconds he/she will also get a free car wash. So you can vent your anger at $5.00 gas prices, make sure the station's employees are clean, and maybe even get a clean car out of it.
It should be noted that The 28-year-old Bakhtiari also has also worked in mental health, including anger management--and it shows!
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- Posted by: July 4, 2008, 4:00 AM -08:00
- Categories: Trends
July 3, 2008
Images and info of the upcoming 2009 BMW 7-Series are up on the Net, ahead of the official announcement that's supposed to happen later this month. The car is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
The new car is expected to offer a twin-turbo gas V8 along with an 8-speed ZF automatic and a torque-splitting rear differential. Other items include upgraded radar cruise control systems, a camera-based lane departure and blind-spot warning systems, and a new night vision system with pedestrian and speed sign detection features.
Here's Inside Line's take: The Big, Bad BMW Is Back
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- Posted by: July 3, 2008, 5:50 AM -08:00
- Categories: General Motors, Trends
Headline in today's The Detroit News:
GM stock falls below $10
Company leads Dow Index into bear market;' Bankruptcy is not impossible,' analyst says
Not a good sign when the B-word" is mentioned for any company, but especially so when it's mentioned with the nation's largest automaker. That's what Merrill Lynch did, as GM shares dropped to their lowest in more than 50 years. Other Wall Street analysts are concerned that GM might run short of cash.
"The Merrill Lynch analyst was one of the last tepid bulls on GM," said David Sowerby, senior portfolio manger at Loomis, Sayles & Co. LP investment management in Bloomfield Hills. "He was the last guy defending the bunker."
Full story here and here.
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- Posted by: July 3, 2008, 5:17 AM -08:00
- Categories: Auto Industry, General Motors
Gotta love this story. A German named Rolf Becker, who could easily be mistaken for Harpo Marx, is driving his Trabant to the Olympics. Not only that--but he's driven this car to nine prior Olympics!
To put this in perspective, the Trabant puts out a whopping 26 horsepower--and the trip is 6,200 miles! Wow, talk about being a glutton for punishment!
Becker left Magdeburg in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. His first stop will be Rostock on the north German coast. Then he heads across the Baltic Sea by ferry to the Latvian capital Riga and on to the Estonian capital Tallinn. He will continue on through Russia, where he will stop off in Moscow and Novosibirsk.
Next he will head across Mongolia--which will be mostly be off-road driving--before reaching China. He plans to arrive in Beijing two weeks before the games begin on August 8.
After the trip he plans to auction the car's hood, which has been signed by various celebrities, for charity. Becker's epic trek across Eastern Europe and Asia can be followed on his web site here.
Full story here and here.
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- Posted by: July 3, 2008, 4:00 AM -08:00
- Categories: Trends
I've long felt, that of the all the Porsche 997 (911) models offered, that the Targa had the most sex appeal. Now seeing this updated model, I feel even more so that this is the case. That tapering chrome lip that runs along the top of the side windows is the icing on an already delicious cake.
The car reportedly goes on sale at the end of July.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: July 3, 2008, 4:00 AM -08:00
- Categories: Porsche, Sports Cars
July 2, 2008
As a fan of hatchbacks and 5-doors, news that the 5-door Toyota Yaris coming here is great. I think the 3-door Yaris is really neat. I never felt that way about the 4-door sedan version, as it's is typically Toyota boring; not so with this 5-door hatch.
Full story here.
Here's Inside Line's take: Toyota Confirms Yaris Five-Door Is Set for Late-Summer Debut
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- Posted by: July 2, 2008, 7:11 AM -08:00
- Categories: Hatchbacks, Toyota
No surprise here: June vehicle sales went head-first into a brick wall. The only survivor of the 'Big 6' automakers is Honda. Some of the smaller brands that focus on smaller vehicles also showed some gains, Subaru, Mazda, VW and Suzuki being several. Check out the grizzly results on
AutoObserver's monthly tally.
June Car Sales: U.S. Buyers Almost Veer Off the Road
Here's
Inside Line's take:
Ford, General Motors and Toyota Show 20 Percent Sales Drop in June and
Honda Shines as Domestic Auto Industry Slumps
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- Posted by: July 2, 2008, 5:58 AM -08:00
- Categories: Auto Industry, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen
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